Upanishads · Rāma-tāpanī Uttara 5.16
॥
Devanāgarī
श्रोत्रियस्वर्णहरणात् यच्च पापमुपस्थितम् । रत्नादेश्चापहारेण तदप्याशु विनाशयेत्
Transliteration (IAST)
śrotriyasvarṇaharaṇāt yacca pāpamupasthitam | ratnādeścāpahāreṇa tadapyāśu vināśayet
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
श्रोत्रियस्वर्णहरणात्śrotriyasvarṇaharaṇātfrom stealing gold from a Veda-knower; from the theft of gold from a śrotriya
यत् च पापम् उपस्थितम्yat ca pāpam upasthitamwhat sin has drawn near; what taint has attached itself
रत्नादेः च अपहारेणratnādeḥ ca apahāreṇaand by the carrying off of gems and the rest; and by the removal of jewels
तत् अपि आशु विनाशयेत्tat api āśu vināśayetthat too it will swiftly destroy; this too it will soon annihilate
Translation
“What sin has drawn near from stealing gold from a knower of the Veda, and from carrying off gems and the rest — that too it will swiftly destroy.”
Version
211ad93ebd13 · published Jul 29, 2026, 5:15:19 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Theft, and theft of a particular kind: from a śrotriya — “a knower of the Veda”, one who has learned and keeps the revelation.
This crime is counted in the dharma-śāstras among the five great ones, and it is clear why. The knower of the Veda neither acquires nor hoards; to take from him is to rob the unarmed, and with him all whom he serves.
Note the word upasthita — “drawn near, attached”. The sin is described not as a deed done but as something that has come up and stands beside.
The turn is usual in Sanskrit, but here it is apt. A man does something once, and the consequence stands by him for years.
That is why the list is so long and so uniform: it goes through the classes of what stands by people and does not leave.
And each time the same predicate: āśu vināśayet — “it will swiftly destroy”. Not “lighten”, not “defer”.
The next verses will name heavier still.